The Shame Game Infinite
by Tails360
Summary: Rewrite of the series. Highschool really changes people. I know that's what it did to me, and it'll probably do that to you aswell. But, you know, I lived to tell the tale, and you probably will too. Because in the end, the people who care have our backs.
1. Chapter 1

**I was recently going through some old photographs that I took five years ago. From back when I first started high school. Having graduated, they brought a smile to my face due to the fact that high school was so fun that words could not possibly describe. Then I stumbled upon a photograph of me sitting in front of my computer on . It reminded me of this story that I had started five or six years ago. **

**So I logged on for the first time in very long. And I read the Shame Game 1. Then 2. Then what I had updated in 3. And it had rekindled an old flame. I was instantly inspired to update number three. But then I realized just how different the writing styles between the three were. So I decided, to fully appreciate this series that I had started, I should rewrite it with the writing style that it took all these six years of writing to develop.**

**So to celebrate the last five years of writing this series, and the last seven years of being an author here on , I present to you the rewrite, The Shame Game Infinite.**

**I am sorry to the readers of this series for letting you down by not updating in so very long. I humbly apologize and ask for you to give me this one last chance.**

**Sonic the Hedgehog, and all related characters, are (c) of SEGA/ Sonic Team.  
>This story, and it's older counterpart, is (c) of me.<br>Skye the Hedgehog, and any other OCs that you see later on in this story are (c) of me.**

**So please,**

**Enjoy.**

New Mobotropolis, the suburban district of the very large, and expanding, city of Station Square, was known for many of its charming traits. Among these traits laid the fact that this was where I went to high school. Many laughs, fists, parties, and tears were shed at Station Square High by my group of friends and I. Many of them are long gone now, yet a select few I still keep in touch with. I'm living well off now, having chosen a profession in the engineering trade; and I'm providing for my family. Life is good, but I still have to admit, to this day, that the best part of my life was during the four years that I went to high school. I still remember most of the events very clearly, like the Christmas party at Amy's house, or when Knuckles scored the last touchdown in the football championships of my sophomore year. Yes, school was great, _minus all the drama._ What – don't believe me? Well how about I tell you my story?

Ten years ago I walked into high school for the first time.

**-x-**

The sun's ray's crept through the curtains of my window and landed on my closed eyes. I would have liked to sleep longer, and I can vouch that I tried, but it was useless. I threw the sheets off of myself, very much annoyed, and reluctantly got out of my warm, comfortable bed. You see, I was usually a morning person, but after the events of last night, with my friends at the movie theatre, I was not happy about waking up this early in the morning. I looked at the clock on my bedside table to figure out the exact time, and it read a quarter to noon. So, I didn't wake up that early, whatever.

I stretched my fourteen year-old body and let out a yawn and then headed toward my bathroom. See, my way of life was actually quite tranquil. I lived in the beautiful Mystic Ruins, away from all the city life and all that jazz, which is why I was able to sleep almost until noon. All of my friends, who lived in the busy city of Station Square, were all probably up a couple of hours ago. But their business wasn't mine, I guess.

At the time of my arrival in the washroom, I took a quick glance into the mirror to see that my orange fur was all matted from sweating in my sleep. I decided that a shower was definitely due, especially if I wanted to hygienically carry on in such a heat wave that the continent was experiencing. So I stripped off my boxers and hopped into the shower, turning the knobs to start the water. I jumped a bit when the water hit my nude body due to the sheer cold temperature. I had forgotten to replace the gas the day before and I had to pay the consequences. I quickly bathed myself, trying to free my poor body from the newly found cold climate as soon as possible. The second that I was cleansed, I turned off the water and hopped out of my shower. Subsequent to towel drying myself thoroughly, I brushed my teeth and washed my face. Hygiene was always of upmost importance.

I walked into my room with my dirty boxers and threw them in the laundry hamper. Searching through my dressers and closet for something appropriate to wear, I realized that I had no plans for today. School officially kicked off for the year in two days, so most people were getting prepared for it. I had prepared a week prior, to make sure that I was ready to the shoe laces I wore. But I was trying to ignore the fact that I was going to be in a new environment because, to be honest, I was completely nervous about the situation. Adapting to new experiences was never a strong point with me.

So, realizing that I was not doing anything today, and that it was probably going to be a very lazy day, I threw on a simple combination of boxers and a tank top. I yawned and stretched again, and then headed downstairs to make myself some breakfast. My parents were always busy on business trips and were barely home throughout the year, so I usually had the responsibility of being the man of the house and taking care of things by myself. I guess that it was a good thing, me gaining a very strong sense of responsibility and independence at a young age, but at the same time I was still very dependent on my friends and peers and my childhood, without my parents around, was quite lonely.

Making it to the kitchen, I unplugged my phone that I left charging there last night and checked for any missed messages from my friends. I got one from my best friend Sonic, stating that last night was very fun and that we should do it again. While quickly writing a reply, I turned on the stove and started preparing eggs and bacon. Once they were properly prepared, I put the food in a plate and poured myself a nice, tall glass of orange juice.

I sat myself on the couch and turned on the television set. I flipped the channels for a few moments until I came across the news. It was supposedly the hottest day that the continent had experienced all summer, and the announcer was telling viewers to go out and enjoy the weather for one last time before the first semester of school started. I chewed my eggs and thought about it for a moment, contemplating whether or not I should call my friends out. Before I had the chance to get deep in my thoughts, the door bell sounded, startling me out of my concentration. I got up and walking to the door, expecting it to be Sonic or Knuckles. When I opened the door, however, it was not blue or red that I saw. In fact, I did not really see much within the three seconds that it took for me to be tackled to the floor.

"Good morning, Tails!" Said the assailant, because I was definitely the victim here.

"Good morning, Amy," I replied to my assaulter. I could not stay angry at her, due to the fact that I cared so deeply for her. I knew that I loved the girl more than a _best friend _should. I had known the girl since I was only five years old. I had met her the same day that Sonic did, also. However, there were simply too many complications in our relationship, the biggest of which being the fact that she fancied Sonic over me. So I ignored my feelings for her, which grew deeper and more intense every time that I saw her, and hoped for the best and that she would get her prince charming.

Amy giggled and got up off of me, holding out a hand for me to take. I took her hand and she helped me up, a very big smile still plastered on her face. I could not help but to smile back at my best friend and to secretly admire her infinite happiness. "Looks like _somebody_ forgot to put on a pair of pants this morning," she stated as-a-matter-of-factly. I looked down at myself and realized that she was right. I had absolutely no time to run upstairs and throw on anything else before answering the door. I let out a goofy laugh and shot her an apologetic face. "Did I come at a bad time? I can leave if you want me to."

I could not find the voice to answer her, however. She was wearing no makeup, and her outfit consisted of nothing more than a pair of jean shorts, a white tank top, and flip flops. I could see the beads of sweat forming on her forehead, a testament to the very hot climate outside. I could not possibly throw her back out into that dreadful heat.

"No, it's fine. I can run back upstairs and throw on a pair of shorts if it makes you uncomfortable. Grab a seat on the couch and make yourself at home, Ames." I offered, giving her another hug for good measure. She returned it whole-heartedly and I smiled into the hug.

"Don't worry about putting some pants on," Amy said, dropping herself into my bean couch, "You're just trying to beat the heat. And it's not like I haven't seen you in your underwear before."

I laughed as I walked passed Amy into the kitchen, opening up the refrigerator and pulling out two water bottles. I threw one at Amy, which she gracefully caught, and opened mine, taking a seat next to her on the couch.

"Ninety-eight degrees. Can you believe it?" Amy questioned, drinking a large gulp of her water. I copied her movements and took a nice, long swig of my own.

"Yeah. It's hotter than hell outside!" I replied, laying my head in her lap and closing my eyes. I heard her laugh and felt her hands move to play with my bangs and I felt my smile grow wider, "I'm sort of down to spend the day indoors and not die due to dehydration. What about you?"

"Well, Rouge invited all of us to the beach today, to sort of say goodbye to summer, which is why I came here. Wanna come?" Amy responded, still playing with my hair. I took another gulp of my water to make it look like I was thinking about it. I already knew what the answer was going to be. Anything involving her instantly meant that I was happy to go comply. I just did not want it to seem obvious.

"Well," I started, buying a little more time before answering, "I was going to spend the day tinkering with that engine that I have been designing for the past few years. The prototype came out quite well, actually."

"You mean the _Tornado,_ Tails? I thought you and Sonic called it quits on that thing ages ago!" Amy said, half intrigued, and half exasperated.

"Well, Sonic did..." It was quite obvious that I was toying with her now, because when I opened my eyes and looked up at her, she had this playful smile on. I smiled back and sat back up on the couch, "Sure I'll come, Ames. Just let me go up stairs and pack a bag and stuff."

I got up from the couch and stretched for a third time that morning, then took to the staircase to go get ready. I felt something it me in the back, and when I turned around, I saw my closed water bottle on the floor. I looked at Amy, who had just assaulted me for the second time that morning, and gave her a look that visibly asked for an explanation.

"Oh yeah, and Tails," Amy said, her voice dropping to mock-seductive, "don't forget your pants this time, big boy."

I laughed and continued my way up the stairs. It was evident that the day was going to be full of excitement.

**I really hope that you have enjoyed my update to the series that I started five years ago. Thank you to all the readers of the earlier versions, and this version. I do hope to continue this rewrite, and I hope that you have thoroughly enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed entertaining you with my works for the last seven years.**

**Until next chapter,**

**Ciao.**

**-Tails360**


	2. Chapter 2

**Another update and I just wanted to say thanks for the one review I got last chapter. I would appreciate seeing more reviews eventually (it keeps me inspired and happy) but for now, thanks for the review. **

**Until the first story arc is completed in **_**Infinite, **_**I am going to keep The Shame Game 1 up so that you readers can compare the two if desired. Once I finish the first story arc, however, I will be taking The Shame Game 1 down from this website permanently, so if anybody wants any nostalgic feelings or just a laugh from the sheer awfulness of my old writing style, you better go back and give the Shame Game 1 another read.**

**So, I put the disclaimer last chapter and I really do not intend on making any other disclaimers until the second story arc (TSGII), so yeah.**

**Enjoy.**

**-x-**

I realized that hanging out with my friends was not something that I could easily get away from. The day had started off with me hoping to lazily dwell in the house and beat the heat, but it had quickly changed to yet _another _bonding experience with my friends. Not that I really minded, of course, but after such a radical time at the movie theatre the night before, I would have expected my friends to have all tired themselves out, but, as it turns out, they did just the opposite. However, it didn't matter due to the fact that I would be spending the day with Amy as well. I guess you can call me selfish because, if it were Sonic who had come my house to invite me to their outing, I would have flat out rejected the offer.

I quickly located a very unused gym bag in my closet and started packing towels and other beach related items. To be completely honest, I was actually quite happy that Amy had come and invited me out that day. I really had nothing of importance to attend to, so hanging out with her and the rest of my friends was going to be a blast. I picked up a ruffled pair of jeans from the floor and slipped them on quietly, and then I sat down on my bed and put my shoes on. I was debating putting on a shirt that covered more of my torso then just my white muscle shirt, but decided against it. It was far too warm that day for sleeves.

I picked up my half empty water bottle and slung the gym bag around my shoulder. Taking one last glance at myself in the mirror, I headed out of my bedroom and closed the door. When I got downstairs, I saw Amy sprawled out on my couch and sipping on her water bottle with her eyes closed. So I tip-toed over to her and sat down right on her stomach, being rewarded with a rather annoyed huff from her.

"I see that you remembered your pants this time," Amy observed, shooting me a very snarky smile. She pushed me to the far end of the couch and sat herself up.

"Yeah," I replied, suddenly feeling in the mood for playing a couple mind games, "I wouldn't dare be caught around you without pants."

Amy feigned laughter and punched my arm lightly, causing me to chuckle. I got up and offered her my hand, and she took it. We walked out of my house and, after locking my door, were on our way to the train station that was very close by. We held hands every step of the way. I can vouch that it was one of the perks of our relationship, being best friends and all. I still craved for more, but when it came to intimacy and physicality, I was quite inexperienced. I had only been in a relationship with one person, and that was when I was in the sixth grade. Her name was Cosmo and she was a very nice girl. However, due to the fact that we were so young, (eleven years of age, to be exact,) our relationship was innocent and short lived; the farthest we ever went was one day when I got a kiss on the cheek, in fact.

When Amy and I got to the train station, we paid our tickets and boarded. The train ride wasn't particularly long, considering the fact that Station Square was pretty far off from where I lived. The plan was most likely that we would all be going to Emerald Coast, as it was the nicest and least expensive when it came to refreshments and such. Amy didn't let go of my hand throughout the entire ride, and it was making me very uncomfortable, but in the good way. We exchanged some conversation on a few popular topics, like music and high school. I tried to change the subject when it came to the later of the two, due to the fact that I was still nervous, no matter how miniscule the feeling was. However, my efforts did not fare well as Amy was relentless when voicing her excitement.

I can't say that I wasn't relieved when the train stopped at Station Square terminal. I was definitely sad that Amy let go of my hand when we exited the train, but that uncomfortable feeling was nothing like continuing the conversation about school. I would have rather have her let go of my hand a hundred times over then shed another word about the topic.

Amy and I hopped down the stairs after getting off the train and, to my surprise; the train station was quite full of people and animals alike, all trying to get on the train to the Mystic Ruins. Amy and I took it as a good sign and quickened our pace, trying to arrive at the beach as soon as possible. The beach was not too far away from the station, in fact, all you had to do to get there was walk out of the front doors and then go around the side of the hotel that was next door. It only realistically took Amy and I about three minutes to reach our destination, and when we did, it did not take long for us to spot our very colourful group of friends.

Sonic and Knuckles were splashing each other in the water while Rouge was on the shore, lying under a giant beach umbrella to stop the harmful sun rays from hitting her body. Amy and I casually strolled over to where Rouge was laying, and I carefully placed two towels on the sand – one for me, and one for Amy. I sat down on my towel and smiled at Rouge while she and Amy conversed. Technically, I was the youngest one of our little group of friends. There were only five of us then.

"Hey, I'm going to go join Sonic and Knuckles in the water, Tails. Come if you want." Amy stated, and when I turned to her to offer a reply, I saw that she had already started stripping off her tank top, revealing that she had been wearing her two-piece bikini underneath her clothes this whole time. It proved to be very hard for me to take my eyes off of her, but I realized that if I wanted not to be obvious, I had to look away. So I picked up a hand full of sand and let the tiny particles run through the cracks of my fingers back onto the sandy floor. When all of the sand left my hand, I turned up to Amy to see that she was already running off to the water, and I couldn't help but let an absent minded smile spread across my face.

"Last I checked, _best friends_ didn't look at each other that way," voiced Rouge. I instantly felt my face heat up to a pretty deep blush, and I turned to Rouge, who had secretly been watching me this whole time, to argue back.

"I wasn't looking at her in any way, she's my friend," What a lame defence. I was literally beating myself up in my mind. I should have quit just then. But I just had to continue to dig this hole even deeper, "Anyways, what's it to you, Rouge?"

"It's othing', Tails," Rouge said, playfully twisting the tip of one of my tails in between her fingers, causing me to blush, "I just think that it's cute that you have your first crush, that's all."

"It's not my first crush, actually. If we're being logical here, Cosmo was really my..." I cut myself off before I could finish the observation. I had definitely just screwed myself over by letting Rouge get to me with her mind games. I felt my blush deepen and intensify, and the knowing grin on Rouge's face grew even wider than it already was.

"What did I say? I know it all." Rouge stated, and I could see how extremely conceited she was at that precise moment in time. She may have caught on to my secret crush, (which it now dawned on me that I may not have been keeping it as _secret_ as I should have been,) but that did not mean that she knew everything. In fact, when it came to intelligence, I was probably the most advanced one of the group, even if I were the youngest.

Ignoring Rouge completely, I turned to the cooler that was right beside us, which Sonic or Knuckles must have brought, and opened it to retrieve a nice, cold refreshment. I had noticed while speaking with Rouge that my throat had gotten pretty dry due to the heat, so I needed to quench my thirst. I pulled out a can of Coca-Cola and cracked it open, taking a refreshing swig. I put the can down beside me and turned to Rouge, who was lying down, facing me, and still staring at me with an expectant look on her face.

"What?" I asked maybe a bit too harshly. I realized that my reaction was not taken as seriously as it sounded because Rouge didn't even flinch, "Even if, hypothetically, I liked Amy, who is my _best friend_, then so what?"

Rouge put her sunglasses on and dramatically laid back down on her back. She still had a smug look plastered across her face. I was about to question her motives for a second time when I felt a wet hand slap my back. I turned around roughly, about to swing a fist at the assaulter, when I realized that it was none other than my _other _best friend, Sonic. He let out a chuckle at my abrasive behaviour and told me that I should calm down and go chill out in the water because I was acting delusional. So I laughed and playfully pushed him back, causing him to fall into the sand which clung to his fur due to the fact that he still was damp from the ocean.

I got up and headed toward the snack vendor to buy a hot dog because I realized that I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. I took a moment to check my watch to see that it was a little bit after two in the afternoon. It had only been about two and a half hours since I had woken up in the morning, but it felt like it was a lot shorter than that.

After purchasing my hot dog, (with extra chilli and cheese on top,) I sat down on one of the chairs in front of the little beach hut and just admired the scenery. Summer and autumn were my favourite seasons and it always felt nice to just sit back and relax while viewing them. I took a bite of the chilli dog and relished in the flavour. There was never anything like beach food in the summer.

"So, I think it's really cute that you like Amy."

I turned to Rouge, who had taken a seat next to me without me acknowledging the fact. I was very thankful for the fact that she had decided to bring up the issue far enough away from the rest of our friends so that they wouldn't hear, but I was starting to feel a little bit exhausted because I thought that I had closed the conversation for good.

"Yeah, well, it's not like I seriously have a chance anyway," I stated, figuring that there was no point in trying to hide anything from Rouge.

Rouge turned around in her seat and purchased a tall cup of lemon cola. She then turned around and took a long sip, looking at me with a bewildered expression. "Who says you don't stand a chance with her?" She questioned, the look of bewilderment growing more noticeable on her face by the very second, "You are quite the attractive young guy, Tails. I think you stand as much of a chance as anybody else."

"I don't stand as big of a chance as Sonic does," I replied almost instantly, the realization of just how jealous I was suddenly dawning on me. I felt extremely bad knowing that I was jealous of my longest friend, simply due to the fact that growing up, we shared everything. I tried to push the unwelcome feelings to the back of my mind so that they wouldn't be on display, but again, I really had no chance at hiding anything from Rouge.

"You don't have to feel jealous, Tails. I've grown quite close to Sonic in the last few years, and I can say that I am almost one hundred percent sure that he has no romantic interest in Amy," Rouge said, and instantly I felt my spirits heighten, a large, goofy smile starting to plaster itself on my face, "I can talk to Amy for you. I won't mention that you like her or anything, I'll just dig for some information, and I'll let you know what she says, how about that?"

"Sure," I agreed quickly. I knew it was sort of wrong for me to be gaining information about my best friend that was thought to be confidential, but I would do virtually anything to be with her. However, the reasoning behind why Rouge was being so nice to me was still unknown, so I had to ask. "Why are you helping me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Rouge questioned, acting like her analysis was the most obvious thing on the planet, "I fancy Knuckles over anybody that I know, and when you and Amy end up getting together, and he finds out that the reason for that happy engagement is because little ol' me decided to help, he will definitely want to be with me."

Of course there was an ulterior motive, which was just expected of Rouge. I smiled at her way of thinking, however, and decided to play along and let her continue to think that her little plan was going to unfold without any inconveniences. Her feelings for Knuckles had nothing direct to do with me, so I just decided to let it slide and let the future come to be.

The rest of the day went by like any normal hang-out session with my friends would. We all shared many laughs and arguments, and at one point, Sonic, Knuckles and I rented a couple surfboards and took them out for a spin. Eventually, the sun started to set and we all were feeling sort of hungry, so we packed our things and got into Knuckles' car. We ended up going to a McDonald's that was nearby and ordered some food. We all had a blast talking about the events of the past summer and what was expected to come as the new school year began.

Eventually it had become too late, so Knuckles and I left the restaurant so that he could drive me to the train station, which wasn't too far and I could have walked, but he insisted on giving me a lift. The ride was silent for the most part, (if you didn't count his speakers blasting out Wiz Khalifa,) but it was pretty comfortable. We got to the train station and I said goodbye and then exited his vehicle.

I got home at half passed ten in the evening. Everything was the way I left it and I felt sort of relieved to be home. I filled a cup of water and then sat myself on my couch, turning on the TV. Eventually I fell asleep on the couch, a smile still playing on my face from the fun that I had with my friends that day. I was even more comfortable because of the fact that I still felt warm from when Amy and I held hands on the train.

**-x-**

**Thank you for reading and remember to review! I am having quite the enjoyable time rewriting this piece of fiction, so I would like to see if you guys are enjoying reading it as well.**

**I like to think of this rewrite as an updated version of a videogame, like the updated Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the 3DS. I would also enjoy thinking of this as a special addition of a videogame with added content (which is what I'm doing) like Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. Regardless of how you look at it, I hope that you are all enjoying it much more than the original draft.**

**Oh, in case you guys are wondering where many of the characters from the other Shame Game(s) are, Tails hasn't met them yet. A few of them will be making their debut in the next update.**

**I'm going to start a new thing to at least involve you all in this story more than simply putting in review responses, and it's going to be question of the update. So, after writing a review based solely on the writing and plotline of this chapter, write a small, one or two line answer to this update's edition of "question of the day."**

**So the question of the day is: what are you most excited for in 2012? My answer has to be going to College in the fall. I can't wait.**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed!**

**Ciao.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late(ish) update, I had to sort a few things out. I wrote a bit every day though, so yeah.**

**Anyways, no really big updates on how things are going with life right now. I'm currently looking for a full time job so that I actually have something to do with my time, but other than that, life's actually kind of boring. **

**Anyways,**

**Enjoy.**

Walking into high school for the first time wasn't too fun for me, to tell the truth. It isn't necessarily a basket of roses for anybody else for that matter, but this _is _my story, so I am going to take this time to apologize in advance for my bitching about the first time I entered Station Square high. Anyway, I woke up like I would any other morning, except it was a lot earlier than when I normally wake up, and I actually had to prepare to go somewhere. Scratch that, it was very unlike any morning, but whatever. I woke up at around a quarter to six, due partly to school but mostly to the fact that I could not sleep very well the night before.

I got out of bed and stressed my sore muscles to release the tension caused by the lack of sleep. Letting out a long (and obnoxious, I had to note so that if I ever got a girlfriend I wouldn't gross her out) yawn, I walked into my washroom and started pampering myself, so that I would look nice and spiffy for when school started. After showering, washing my face (so that I wouldn't develop any extreme cases of acne,) and brushing my teeth multiple times, I walked out of the bathroom and started searching for some clothes to wear. After pondering my choices for a good half hour, I finally decided on a pair of loose tan shorts and a pink polo with a pocket on the breast. I opened my bed side table and pulled out my pair of reading glasses and put them on, knowing that I would need them if I were to be copying off of a black board today.

I checked my watch and realized that it was already half passed seven and that Knuckles would be picking me up shortly. I grabbed my backpack and slung it around my shoulders, tightening the straps. After one last glance at the mirror to make sure that I looked presentable and well mannered, I walked out of my room and down the stairs. Every good day starts with a well balanced and nutritious breakfast, so upon arriving in the kitchen, I popped some toast in the toaster and pulled out a pan to make some eggs on. When the eggs were ready, I placed them on the toast and made myself a nice breakfast sandwich to satisfy my hunger. Once I was finished, I downed half a carton of orange juice and put the dirty dishes and the pot in the sink to clean. However, before I had the chance to clean them, I heard a horn honk from outside, signalling that Knuckles was here. I decided that I would simply do the dishes later on that day when I got home.

I quickly unplugged my cell phone from its charging place in the kitchen. I threw on my shoes and walked out the front door, locking it afterwards. Knuckles lived close to my residence with his father, Locke, on Angel Island, so he had decided to come pick me up and drive me to school on most days. I threw my backpack in the back of his car and seated myself in the passenger seat, fastening my seatbelt.

"Excited for your first day of high school?" Knuckles asked, adjusting his rear view mirror and pressing his foot on to the gas pedal. I couldn't help but feel my stomach churn at the mention of high school; I was hoping not to think about it until I was there.

"If I said I wasn't nervous, it would be a lie," I responded, twiddling my fingers. I wasn't really the best at dealing with situations when not knowing what to do. Aside from the whole Amy thing, this had been the only situation that I was completely stumped on, and I really didn't know why. I mean, high school is just a normal thing that everyone ends up going through, right?

"Don't sweat it, kid," Knuckles said, giving me a pat on the back for good measure, "I'm sure you'll do fine. And if anyone gives you shit, tell Sonic and I. We'll definitely deal with them for you."

We arrived on campus a short fifteen minutes after the conversation. Following the exchange, Knuckles had put his music on, and I took the short ride on the way to school mentally prepping myself for the unknown territory. Teenagers were downright scary, and I had seen many programs while watching television that the teenage population meant only violence and drugs, and I was accustomed to neither of them. I had made a silent vow with myself that I would mind my own business and not converse with anyone unless it was the group of friends that I was currently in, or if I were with them while conversing.

I got out of Knuckles' car and stretched my still sore muscles from the sleepless night, throwing my backpack on nonchalantly and trying to play it cool. There were already many people on school grounds, even if the actual school day wouldn't start until half an hour from that point in time. Taking a few shaky breaths, I turned to Knuckles, who gave me a reassuring smile. I felt a bit more at ease after that, so I decided that I would continue to play it cool until the point where I couldn't handle it anymore.

After making that silent realization, I heard the sound system of a familiar blue Honda Civic blasting out rock music. Knuckles and I knew already who it was without seeing the car, and within seconds, it screeched to a halt in the parking space beside Knuckles' vehicle. Sonic stepped out of his car and locked it, shooting both of us a toothy grin.

"You guys ready for School?" He asked while leaning against his car and yawning, obviously an illusion to pretend that he was bored already. Knuckles and I both knew that he was as excited as we were about the whole ordeal. He couldn't fool his best friends _that_ easily.

"Sure as hell, man," Knuckles answered, patting his shoulder. Sonic looked over at me and winked good naturedly to reassure me that everything was alright. If I were feeling a little bit better about the situation when Knuckles showed signs of comfort, I definitely felt one hundred percent about it now.

We chatted amongst ourselves for the last twenty minutes until the school day commenced. Sonic and Knuckles occasionally said a few words to a hand full of people that walked by, but most of the attention was on the fact that this year was going to be the 'best yet', compliments to the foresight of Sonic. When the school bell rung, the three of us walked into the doors of the building, and I was as ready as ever to start my high school career.

The hallways were very crowded and I had bumped into many different people while trying to get a hold on where I was supposed to go. Many different smells entered my nostrils, some good and some bad, and I made a mental note that I would have to practice ignoring the bad smells. If high school smelled like this on the first day, it would most likely smell like this every day. I excused myself from the hallway the second I found a washroom and pulled out my schedule from my backpack. Quickly looking it over, I realized that I was expected in the drama room for first period. I folded the sheet of paper and stuffed it in the pocket of my khaki shorts, walking out of the washroom afterwards.

When I found my way out of the washroom, the halls were much less crowded than before. I saw many students walking through doorways that led to classrooms, and for a second I grew worried that I would be late on my first day, but then I realized that it would not necessarily matter considering that I were new to the school. Stating that I was lost would be a variable excuse for the first week or so.

By the time that I had started to get accustomed to the hallway patterns of the school, there were almost no students wandering the hallways. I turned left at a certain turning point and noticed that there was a group of people loitering in the hallway that I did not recognize from the collage of faces that I had seen moments before entering the washroom. I decided to keep to myself and walk past them, but my own two feet betrayed me, and I started to feel as if I were walking funny.

"Haven't seen you wondering these halls before."

I turned roughly at the statement, both nervous and scared. The group of people that stood before me looked very intimidating, and due to my short stature, there were very few ways that I could scare them off if they decided to hurt me. The statement seemed to have come from the green hedgehog that stood in the group. He had a pair of ripped jeans and a leather jacket on, a white v-neck shirt underneath. A pair of aviator sun glasses rested on his head. He walked up to me, shooting me a smile that I could tell was fake, but I stood my ground, ignoring how intimidating these new faces were. If Knuckles and Sonic taught me one thing throughout the years, it would have been to stand up for myself and not show fear.

"Yeah, I'm new," I started, ignoring the slight quiver in my voice. I reached a hand out to shake his, all in common courtesy. The green hedgehog took my hand and shook it lightly, and I noticed that there was very little hostility in his eyes. I let myself calm down a bit, allowing me to recollect my thoughts. After a moment I was still holding his hand, and I realized that he was giving me a slightly awkward look. I cleared my throat and released his hand, "my name's Miles, but most people call me Tails anyways. And you are?"

The green hedgehog put his hands behind his head and looked down on me, a condescending smirk plastered across his face. I held my guard up, still not fully trusting these new faces.

"I'm Scourge. Those people back there are Fionna, Bark and Fang. Sorry to inform you, kid, but you're trespassing on our hallway right now."

I felt my heart drop into the pit of my stomach as the other three people walked up to me from behind Scourge. The four of them circled me and left no room for me to squeeze through and run away. Defensively, I threw my fists up and assumed fighting position, hoping that I could fend for myself until an authoritative figure happened to walk through this hallway. Scourge let out a deep chuckle, and turned to shoot the girl, Fionna, a glance.

Fionna looked over at me, her eyes showing aggression, but I swore that I saw some sorrow in them. She grabbed my collar and pinned me up against the wall, and for a moment I felt sort of stupid that I was about to get my ass kicked by a girl. Scourge walked over and raised a fist at me, and I braced myself mentally and physically for a beating. Clenching my eyes, I awaited the sure pain that would come from a blow by a guy that was so much bigger than me.

A moment after closing my eyes, I heard a sound similar to that of somebody falling to the ground. I opened my eyes to see what was happening and saw that the biggest one of the group, Bark, had fallen down and he was currently holding his stomach as if he had just taken a punch, and Scourge was being held up against the wall by _his _collar. A look of shrill fear was present on Scourge's face. Fionna dropped me and I was shaking, afraid that this affair would get me in trouble on the first day of school. Finally gaining the confidence to let my eyes trail up to who was holding my aggressor up by his shirt, I saw that the one who had saved me from an unjustified beating was a black and red hedgehog.

"Listen here, you punk," The darker hedgehog spat out to Scourge, "If I ever see you beating on a freshmen again, I will personally tenderize your face. You got that?"

"Who do you think you are, man?" At this point, Scourge started to regain his composure, and a snarky smile was starting to appear on his face, "You think that you can walk into _my _school and get all violent with _me_? The four of us should teach you a lesson about respecting the authorities."

I looked at the other three members of Scourge's crew and realized that they had backed away in fear of the new face in the conflict. I felt a strong sense of pride flow through me in realization that this guy who I had never seen before decided to be late for his class to come to my aid. The black and red hedgehog looked at the cowardly aggressors and shot them a death glare. After shooting me a quick red-eyed glance, the black and red hedgehog turned to Scourge, who was still being held up to the wall against his will.

"Your friends are obviously cowards," he stated, dropping Scourge and picking up his, turning his back and starting to casually walk away, "You're not worth my time. You coming, Miles?"

I turned to the black and red hedgehog and quickly jogged after him. I looked back at Scourge and his gang, who all had dumbfounded looks on their faces, and stuck my tongue out at them. It serves them right for messing with me.

We turned a corner and I walked over to the water fountain to take a few sips. I heard my new acquaintance stop and wait for me to finish with my drink. After I was done, I wiped my lips and leaned up against the wall, facing him.

"Thanks man," I started, taking a deep breath and carefully choosing my words, "For that. You didn't have to though."

"No problem," he stated, showing off a smile and brushing off my words, "Where were you heading? I have Drama this period. And you?"

"I've got the same class as well," I acknowledged. I gave the new guy a once over, realizing that he looked way too old to be in a beginner's drama class, "Why are you in grade nine drama?"

"Needed a credit in the arts," he stated as we continued to walk to our destination, "Decided that music would be too easy for me. So in the end, I chose dramatic arts."

"Cool," I said, keeping in pace with him, "So what's your name?"

The darker one chuckled, "Shadow. I'm Shadow."

I extended a hand to shake his. He took mine and shook it, and for the first time since entering the building, I felt at ease.

**-x-**

I hadn't gotten into too much trouble after walking into drama late with Shadow. He explained to the teacher that we had both gotten lost, and she understood completely. It happened to be Shadow's first day at this school as well; he had recently transferred over from Westopolis after moving out from his parents' house. He was eighteen years old and was on his victory lap, and he was an aspiring musician. He was a really cool guy, and he seemed to understand my nervousness about school when my other friends really didn't. I didn't blame my other friends, however. They had been in this school for quite some time and they had all enjoyed it, so yeah.

Anyways, after drama class was over, I left for my next class, which was English. I didn't see many faces that I knew except for Fang, the purple weasel that was in Scourge's gang. He didn't really seem to notice me though, so I kept to my own business and the class ended pretty quickly.

It was now lunch time, and I had started to grow hungry. I walked into the cafeteria, straining my eyes to see if I could recognize anybody that I knew over the many hundreds of faces. I saw Sonic waving over to me from one of the tables and I walked over to him.

"Hey buddy, you hungry?" Sonic asked, passing a chicken burger at me. I nodded in appreciation and quickly devoured it, enjoying the taste. Many people had told me that cafeteria food wasn't very good, but I begged to differ.

After swallowing down my chicken burger and taking a swig of Sonic's cola, he motioned me to follow him. We walked out of the front doors of the school and over to the bleachers, where I saw most of our group and a few other people sitting. We jogged over to them and sat down. The girls were laughing at a joke that Knuckles had told, and Sonic and I sat down with them.

Amy turned to me and gave me a hug. "Hey, Tails. How's the first day of school treating you?"

"It's going pretty smoothly, thanks," I answered. I decided to leave out the part about Scourge and his group, realizing that there was no need to alarm anybody. Amy nodded and smiled at me, and Sonic, who was sitting on the other side of her, held her hand. I felt a little bit defeated at this, but I let it slide. They were probably doing it out of friendship.

"Oh! This is Skye, and I believe you've met Mina before," Amy stated, gesturing to a sky blue hedgehog and a yellow and purple mongoose who were sitting on the top seats of the bleachers. I smiled and waved at them and they returned the gesture. We all sat there and chatted amongst ourselves for a while.

"Who's that?" Sonic pointed out. I looked over to where he was pointing and saw Shadow sitting alone on the bleachers.

"Oh, that's Shadow," Amy and I simultaneously replied. Amy looked over at me and giggled, but I waited for her to finish, "He's a pretty quiet guy, I met him in my second period class and he's new here. How do you know him, Tails?"

"I met him in the hallway," I lied. Well, it wasn't essentially a lie, but I left out the whole truth. By the time that I finished my sentence, Sonic had gotten up and strolled over to where Shadow was sitting. We saw them chatting and when they were done; Sonic extended a hand and helped him get up. They both strolled back to the rest of us.

"Guys, this is Shadow," Sonic said, restating what had already been mentioned. Shadow waved and flashed us all a half smile. Climbing up the bleachers, he ruffled my hair and then sat beside me. I laughed when he messed up my hair and swatted his hand away, and the rest of the group started talking amongst themselves again. Shadow opened his bag and pulled out an apple, biting into it thoughtfully.

"Did Scourge and his goons mess with you at all after we left?" Shadow asked quietly, not sure whether or not I wanted the rest of the group to know.

"Nah, I think they got the message, but thanks a lot, man. I really appreciate it." I replied. I felt the bleachers shift a bit as I realized that Skye got up from where she was sitting to sit on the other side of Shadow. The two of them started talking casually, and I caught on to how Shadow was flirting. I took the time to make some mental notes of how he was doing it, because she was most definitely getting swooned by his antics. I thought that maybe if I used the same approach on Amy, she would possibly grow interested in me, too...

"Yo guys, I gotta say somethin'," Sonic said, silencing us, "Just saying, Amy and I have been dating for the last little bit. We hadn't informed anyone yet, but I just wanted to let you all know now, alright?"

Skye squealed in happiness for her pink best friend after Sonic had come out with the truth. I felt my shoulders drop and turned up to look at Rouge, who was shooting me an apologetic look. I looked back at Sonic, who was looking at me, so I forced a smile on my face to show my best friend that I was happy for him (even though that was a lie) and that I supported him, regardless of his choices (which was also a lie if it had to do with Amy.) I then realized that I had been doing a lot of lying lately, so I decided to stop thinking about it.

The rest of the lunch went by uneventfully. Shadow, Sky and I held up a pretty cool conversation about random stuff in general, and I felt sort of glad, especially with the new found realization that Sonic and Amy were dating, that I had made some friends aside from my regular group.

**-x-**

School ended pretty quickly, and I had hitched a ride back home with Knuckles. He decided to stay for a while, and we just hung out and shot the shit for a while. At around five o'clock, he went home due to the fact that he needed to prepare dinner for his family. I told him I'd see him at school tomorrow and walked him to the door.

When he left, I decided to fix myself something to eat as well, considering that I hadn't eaten since the chicken burger at lunch. I ended up making a pretty lazy dinner, consisting of simply bread and soup. Once I was finished eating, I attended to the dishes that I had dirtied when preparing my meal, and the ones that I had left unclean at breakfast time. After finishing the dishes (I had to put a lot of muscle work out while scrubbing away the now dried pieces of egg that were stuck to the pan from breakfast,) I checked my phone for the time. It was ten to six.

After watching some television to pass the time, I decided that I would hit the sack early to catch up on the sleep that I had missed from not sleeping very well the night before. I walked up to my bedroom and stripped to my boxers, climbing into bed afterward.

I was still pretty bummed out, to say the least, about Amy's new relationship with Sonic. Why were they keeping it a secret from the rest of us? And if they were keeping it a secret, how long had they already been dating for? My mind was going bananas, so I tried to search for a bright side of the situation. Not too long after starting my quest for an answer to the dilemma at hand, I had found an answer.

Sonic had rejected Amy so many times up to that point. Eventually, they would hit a snag in their relationship and it would end, I realized. And at that point, I, Miles "Tails" Prower, would jump in and finally claim what I had wanted for the last few years of my life.

I smiled as my mind started to slow down with its thought processing. My mind had found a solution to the problem, so it seemed like less of a problem now. I folded my arms behind my head and let my eyes close, content with the way things were going at the moment. So what if she was with Sonic? I hadn't lost just yet.

**So how was it, everyone? Did you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it or what? I'm not going to tell you guys to guess what's going to happen next, considering the fact that you all have read this before and even if you haven't, the original draft of this piece of fiction is still up on my profile, so you can all view it there. **

**So how's life, everyone? Treating you all well? You can answer that question in a review.**

**So, I have two questions of the day this time around: **

**What is your favourite modern TV show? And, have any of you guys seen the Japanese cartoon, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt?**

**My favourite modern TV show has to be Adventure Time with Finn and Jake, the characters are so fun and some of them you can actually relate to. Not only that, but the storyline to the show is so basic. A kid and his dog, going on adventures. It's the things that happen in the show that make it so worthwhile.**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed! Leave a review , and actually tell me how you're liking the rewrite. I'd love to know.**

**Anyways,**

**Ciao!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! It's me again! Long time, huh? (2 days. Ha.)**

**Thanks for the reviews last chapter! Keep them coming, they keep me motivated by making me realize how much you all actually enjoy my works!**

**This chapter is where the plot line for the Shame Game* actually starts, so keep at the edge of your seats while reading.**

***The Shame Game as a series, not just the first instalment.**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

**-x-**

Amy had awoken feeling a little bit more than slightly groggy, to say the least. She had ignored her mother's forewarning and stayed up on the phone with Sonic until half passed two in the morning, forgetting that she had to attend school in the morning. She mentally kicked herself as her alarm went off three and a half hours after she got to sleep. School had already been in session for about a week and a half, and Amy was already getting excited for the weekends. She thought forward to the day after and excited herself when she remembered that it would be a Friday.

She got out of bed and started with her morning routine. Mornings always followed the same schedule; shower, brush teeth, apply makeup, fix hair, and then consume a nutritious breakfast (if she had time to eat, that is). She whole heartedly believed that a girl's appearance was more important than her hunger.

Half way through doing her hair, the doorbell rang. She heard her mother walk to the front door and open it, and she had also overheard her boyfriend, Sonic, having a light hearted conversation with her mother. Amy's mom was very appreciative of Sonic and Tails due to the fact that they were Amy's first real friends. She had moved to Station Square from Emerald Coast when she was nine years old, and when her mother and her mother's boyfriend at the time were unloading the moving van, Tails had curiously stumbled onto their lawn, Sonic following right behind him. At the time, Amy was upset about leaving her old friends behind back at Emerald Coast, but Sonic and Tails reassured her that it was alright by stating that they would be her new friends.

After straightening and styling her hair, Amy threw on a white v-neck tee shirt and some dark blue skinny jeans and then walked out of her bedroom. She was ready for school, and judging by the clock on her phone, she was in record time. There was still a half of an hour until school commenced for the day, which meant that Amy would be able to enjoy some breakfast and acquire some much needed energy.

When she got downstairs, she saw her boyfriend and her mother on the couch with the weather station being viewed on the television. Amy walked into her kitchen and opened the fridge, trying to find something light to eat for breakfast. After searching for a minute and growing very unsatisfied with the results of her search, she decided that she would only prepare toast with butter, a part of her much too lazy for anything else. She pulled out a carton of orange juice from the fridge and took a swig directly from it, lazily wiping her lips with the back of her arm afterward.

"You know, it's kind of rude to drink from the carton, don't you think?"

Amy turned around very abruptly, startled from the sudden disturbance to her silence, aside from that of the ambient noise around her, that is. After a moment, she realized that it was only Sonic who had intruded on her private indulgence of the citrusy beverage, so she let the light scolding that she would have delivered slide. Sonic leaned down and pecked on Amy's lips gently, and when he broke off, he smiled at her.

"I think it's even ruder for somebody to sneak up on somebody else," Amy replied, internally congratulating herself for coming up with such a witty response while being so exhausted. She heard her toast pop out of the toaster and turned around to deal with the situation at hand. She spread the butter on the now crispy toast bread, not caring very much about consistency, only thoughtful of how her angrily hungry stomach was threatening her by growling. When her toast was covered by the butter, she impatiently started munching away at it, enjoying the taste.

She turned back to Sonic and realized how apparent his fatigue was. He had bags under his eyes, and he was leaning against the kitchen counter for support. He was staring at Amy however, his eyes intense and his gaze fierce.

"You know, what you did last night wasn't very cool," Sonic stated, his voice in a hush in respects to the fact that Amy's mother was sitting one room over, within hearing range, "To just leave me hanging like that. I told you that you could've come over to my house at any time. I mean, we've been dating for almost two months, don't you think we should have crossed that bridge yet?"

Amy sighed and put down the second slice of toast, leaning against the counter opposite of her boyfriend. All that was important to him was sex, she had noticed. It wasn't that she didn't want to please her boyfriend; it was simply because she had yet to have lost her virginity. She wasn't ready for it, but he did not seem to respect that fact, and he continued to try and instigate it, pushing it onto her more and more, especially recently.

"I told you I'm not ready," Amy whispered, breaking their gaze and discontinuing their staring contest. She had wished on multiple occasions that things could have gone back to the way they were when they were kids. When she, Sonic and Tails used to go to the park and blow bubbles, eat ice cream and play tag until the sun went down. Before things got intense, before she started liking Sonic, before Sonic and Tails started to drift apart, before they grew up...

"I know you're not ready," Sonic said, inching closer to Amy and pulling her in for an embrace, "But I am. And I want to show you what I can do for you. I love you."

Amy exhaled roughly and didn't even attempt to hug him back. She was passed the sad stage within the situation, way passed it. She was starting to become angrier and angrier with how Sonic had been treating her lately. She had begun to feel like an object, like a toy that he could use to keep him entertained until he was bored, and then he'd throw her away. She definitely didn't like it, but she wouldn't dare speak up against him. Not after he had told everyone that they were together. She did not want her friends thinking that she was unhappy in her relationship. She definitely did not want her friends to think that she was too attached to him to get out while she still could. She was stronger than that.

She hadn't left him yet because she was afraid of where that would put her. She was fearful of how it would look on her group of friends, the people that had grown ever so dear to her as she grew up. Regretfully, and also partly guiltily, she was afraid of how her best friend Tails would react. She did not want him to have to choose between herself and his oldest companion, because she knew that, without a doubt, he would choose Sonic over her.

So, listening to the rational side of her mind, she forced a smile onto her face and hugged Sonic back, muttering a quick and dishonest "_I love you, too."_

Sonic tightened his grasp on her for a split second and let her go, allowing her to finish with devouring her toast. She ate in silence, and when she was finished, she put her dish in the sink to be washed later and walked to the front door. She slipped her sneakers on and picked up her bag. After the two of them bid farewell to her mother, they left the house and got into Sonic's car to finally head over to school.

**-x-**

She had arrived late. She wasn't normally late, as she was a top student and needed to be there on time. If she were ever late, it was a mere five to ten minutes. But today, she had been so late that she missed the first period entirely. She was not impressed with her boyfriend at all, either. It had been his fault that she had been truant, due to him yelling at her in the car.

She wasn't feeling very good with herself, either. She wished that she could have just stayed at home, and she felt her tears prickling at the side of her eyes. After getting her late slip from the attendance office, she took a deep breath and walked into her second period. The only friends that she had in that classroom were Skye and Shadow; the later of the two she didn't even consider a real friend yet. She walked over to where Skye was sitting and forced a smile on her face, sitting down next to her friend.

"You're late today," Skye accused, nudging Amy's arm with her elbow, "What's up?"

"Nothing," Amy replied, ignoring the way her voice quivered, "I've just had a long morning, that's all."

"If you need to talk, you know that I'm here, right?" Skye questioned. Amy nodded and turned toward her desk, focusing on her work. Skye was worried for her best friend, to say the least. The two of them were very close, and they had confided in each other with almost everything. Now that Amy was being secretive, Skye started getting very worried and took an almost defensive stance at the situation. This was the second thing that her best friend was hiding from her within the same month; the first thing that she hid was the entirety of her relationship with Sonic, and Skye didn't find that fact very appealing to their friendship.

Skye turned back to look over at Shadow, who was sitting at the back of the classroom. He was texting on his phone, and she noticed that when he was finished sending the message, he angrily, and very forcefully, snapped the phone shut. He got up roughly and noticed that Skye had been watching him, and despite his obvious anger, he smiled over to her and waved. Skye felt her cheeks heat up at this and found herself waving back to him. He winked at her and was on his way, ignoring the fact that permission was needed to leave the classroom.

Skye turned back to Amy, who was staring down at her work, but when Skye looked down at the paper that Amy was looking at, she realized that nothing was written down, and only some squiggles and a few doodle were created with Amy's pencil. This wasn't like Amy at all, and it had worried Skye even more. She thought about what could have been bothering her. It couldn't have been Sonic, definitely not. The guy was too nice; he had that 'saves the damsel in distress' type of vibe. Skye really couldn't think of anything that would be making her best friend so upset, and it upset Skye in the process.

Amy turned to her abruptly, startling her. Amy's eyes were filled with tears and she motioned toward the door, for her best friend to follow behind. Amy ran out the door without a word and Skye followed after her. The teacher turned to Skye and gave her a questioning glance, but the look that Skye shot the teacher explained that leaving the classroom had to be done. The teacher nodded in approval and continued on with her lesson.

Skye chased after Amy, who continued to run down the hallways. Skye heard sobs coming from Amy's mouth as she ran ahead, and she felt helpless due to the fact that she couldn't do anything. When they got to a part of the school hall that was far enough away from the classrooms that they would not be heard, Amy leaned up against the door and dropped, sitting in the fetal position. All that could be heard were Amy's sobs, and at the realization that her friend was presumably bawling her eyes out, Skye rushed to Amy's side and put her arms around her to try and comfort her best friend.

Amy explained everything to Skye. She trusted her with every cell of her body. She knew her friend wouldn't do anything but listen and give advice. And that's exactly what Skye did. That's all that Skye _could_ do, considering that it was Amy's choice whether or not she would be leaving Sonic. Skye continued to hold her best friend in her arms, mentally pretending that her arms were a shield, protecting her best friend from the elements around her.

"I think that you should do what you think is best for you," Skye explained, gingerly wiping a tear that was falling down her best friend's cheek with the back of her thumb, "But right now, we should get you to a washroom so that you can wash your face."

Amy smiled for the first real time that morning as Skye helped her up, happy that her best _girl _friend was always there to listen to her, and Amy knew that, unlike when consolidating her mind and individual thoughts with Rouge, everything that was said during the conversation was, and would remain, confidential.

When they got to a washroom, Skye leaned up against the wall to wait for her friend. Amy walked into the washroom and looked at her face in the mirror. Her mascara was running down her face and her eyes were red and puffy. Amy sighed deeply and let the sink run. She started to think about Sonic, and whether or not it was worth staying with him. She thought that it must not have been worth it if he were having such a negative effect on her looks and self esteem. She decided that she would come up with a decision on a separate occasion, realizing that right now it would be too much for her mind, which was quite riled up still, to come to a verdict.

After washing the dry, sticky tears and the now useless makeup off her face, she applied a light coat of makeup over where the ruined coat once stood, and she made sure to practice her fake smile in the mirror before gaining the confidence to face the outside world once again. Putting her makeup back in her bag, she left the washroom and smiled thankfully at Skye, who was still standing in the place Amy had left her. Skye smiled back as Amy went over to the water fountain and drank a few sips, feeling a tad bit dehydrated because of all the crying.

Skye and Amy began to walk back to class, chatting about a few random subjects in general. Amy had learned through that conversation that it was announced over the PA that morning that there would be a dance the following day to kick off the new semester that had started a little over a week prior. Amy felt hopeful in regards to the dance, regrettably due to the fact that she had viewed the whole thing as a chance to escape her boyfriend's attempts to get in her pants.

When they were closer to their classroom, the two girls overheard some grunts and whimpers of pain coming from the hallway. They followed the noises, and once they turned into the _Scourge Hall_, they saw Shadow and Tails fighting off Scourge and a few of his friends. Amy felt worry boil in the pit of her stomach when she saw Fang run at Tails to punch him, but when Tails dodged the attack and landed his own punch on the purple weasel, Amy felt a little bit better about the situation at hand. Being completely honest with herself, she internally admitted that seeing Tails defend himself turned her on a tad more than it should have, but she ignored the feelings.

"Shouldn't we help them?" Skye whispered, staring at Shadow, who had tackled Scourge down and started feeding him punches to the face. She knew that they would be very little use to the boys in the fight, and that they provided them with little to know assets, but she was asking the question in more of a manner to start conversation than to be serious.

Amy shook her head at Skye's question and couldn't stop an excited squeal from exiting her mouth as Bark, who had pinned Tails up against the wall, broke a few of the buttons on Tails' flannel shirt, causing it to open up and reveal that he had skipped out on an undershirt that day. Her squeal hadn't gone unnoticed, and every member of the fight turned their heads toward the two girls at lightning speed.

"Ay, you're trespassing," Scourge stated, pushing Shadow, who wasn't paying attention off of him and getting up to fully view the two girls. The second that Shadow was off of Scourge, Bark and Fang tackled Shadow and held him in place. Tails, who was being pinned to the wall by Fionna and Bean, watched in horror as Scourge walked closer to Amy and Skye, a very sadistic grin plastered across his face.

"Should I take care of them?" Fionna asked, not letting her hold on Tails drop for even a split second. Tails growled at her, making it known that he did not appreciate the fact that she was even hinting towards harming his friends. Fionna turned to Tails and slapped him across the face, a silent reminder that he should respect his elders.

"No, that's quite alright, Fionna," Scourge replied, not letting his gaze on the two girls falter, "There are a few things that I would like to do with them, however it would be rude to state those things in such a public domain."

Tails couldn't stop the snarl that escaped himself at Scourge's words. He was struggling with all his might to get out of the older vixen's grasp, struggling so that he could protect his friends, and more importantly, Amy.

Scourge took a few more steps closer to the girls, who, in fear, took a few steps back. Shadow let out a growl this time, yelling "Get away from them! It's us that crossed you," but he was silenced by a large hand covering his mouth. Amy and Skye had backed up against a few lockers, and Scourge wasn't but a few feet from where they were. He let out a chuckle and stated that he was going to have his way with them.

At this point, Tails had broken free of Fionna and Bean's grasp, and in a moment of desperation, he ran at Scourge, who had been towering over the girls. He didn't even think twice about it when he was in the air, his fist coming down rapidly toward the back of Scourge's head.

Scourge dropped to the floor, out cold, when the punch landed, and Amy stood there in shock at what had just happened. The rest of the members of Scourge's group released Shadow and started toward where Scourge was laying. When they got there, Bean checked Scourge's pulse and let out a sigh of relief, nodding at Bark to pick him up.

Bark bent over and picked up Scourge, throwing him over his own very broad shoulder. He looked over to Fionna, nodding. "Scourge's fine. He'll be out for a while and will wake up with a bad headache, but he'll be fine, none the less," He turned over to look at Shadow and Tails, who both had cuts and bruises scattered along their bodies, and scoffed. "We'll be back. You'll pay for this."

**-x-  
>Tails P.O.V<strong>

With that, Scourge's gang turned and walked off, disappearing out of sight when they turned down a different corridor. Shadow and I glanced at each other before smiling and letting out a chuckle at our victory. Shadow ruffled up my hair and gave me a thumb up, congratulating me for beating Scourge and finally standing up for myself, and my friends. They had picked a fight with me to get back at us for belittling them the week prior, but I wasn't going to fight. However, they had cornered me in the hallway, and I had texted Shadow to come out of class and help me fight them off. We had no choice but to fight our way through. We ended up teaching them a lesson in the process, and I silently hoped that they wouldn't bother us anymore.

I turned back to Amy and Skye, who were both also smiling at us for our victory. Amy's cheeks were progressively turning darker shades of pink as the time went by, and I wished that I could have seen into her mind, even if it were for but a second, to see what she had been thinking about.

"Let's get out of here," Shadow suggested, cracking his knuckles and stretching out his sore limbs, "I think we've earned a day off, right Miles?"

"Yeah," I agreed, following his example and stretching out my muscles as well. They ached in exhaustion, and I realized that I would be in some minor pain the day after, "Are you girls in?"

Amy and Skye looked at each other for a moment before nodding in agreement to our antics. We all went back to our second period classes to obtain our belongings and await the end of the period. When the period finished, we skipped out on lunch and got off of school property as soon as we could. We ended up driving to Spanky's diner in Shadow's car, which wasn't too far from the school itself. We all ate there, talking about random general things. After that, we all went back to Amy's house. Her mom had left for work, so we had the whole house to ourselves for the day.

We all went up to her bedroom, and Amy got out the first aid kits so that the girls could tend to our wounds. Much to Shadow and I's dismay, they put rubbing alcohol on our open wounds to make sure that they wouldn't get infected. To say the least, it stung. Shadow had fewer injuries than I did, so Skye finished up with him faster. They both went downstairs when they were finished to watch some television together. That left Amy and I alone upstairs in her bedroom.

"What are you doing, getting involved with Scourge and those low lives so early in ninth grade?" Amy asked, wrapping my wrist, which I had sprained when I punched Scourge, "Well, anyway, thank you for standing up for me. I appreciate it."

I looked into Amy's eyes and smiled. She shouldn't have been thanking me. She was my best friend and it was my duty, no, my _pleasure _to stand up for her and get her out of harm's way. Not to mention the fact that I loved her, of course.

"Don't thank me, Amy," I smiled as she finished wrapping my wrist. She held my hand and sat beside me on the bed, putting her head on my shoulder. We stayed like that for a while, and even though I knew that it probably meant nothing less than a bonding experience with her best friend to her, I didn't complain. I would take anything to be this close to her.

"Tails, can I ask you a question?" Amy asked, waiting for me to nod in approval before continuing, "Why did you and Sonic start to drift apart? You guys used to be best of friends, and now you barely talk to each other."

I could have stated the obvious. Sonic hadn't done anything wrong to make us drift apart, it was me. I started to fall for Amy, but the whole time she liked him. I was talking to him less and less as the time went on, simply because I was starting to grow very jealous of him. I didn't want to remember my oldest childhood friend in negative respects, so I stopped making excuses to go and see him and I only saw him when he made plans. That's just how the game played out.

"We just grew up," I lied, choosing not to reveal the truth to her, "I mean, we started gaining different interests and, I don't know. We just stopped hanging out so much, I guess."

I felt Amy nod against my shoulder, and I heard her let out a sigh. I put my arm around her and traced little circles on her other shoulder with my thumb. We stayed like that for a while, just her and I. I felt like something was wrong, but I wouldn't prod at it. I didn't want to make her upset when she should have been happy.

"I just wish things could go back to the way that they were when we were kids," I heard Amy mumble against my shoulder. I gave her a reassuring squeeze with my arm, and she looked up at me. I smiled down at her and pecked her forehead in a friendly way.

"Well," I started, keeping my voice low so that she would really have to listen, "You still really _act _like a kid, I suppose."

Amy couldn't hold in her laughter and she pushed me back down on to her bed. "You dick!" She playfully said, sitting on top of my waist in a straddle position. I laughed and pushed her off of me, getting on top of her and pinning her down by the shoulders. I didn't press too hard. I wouldn't want to hurt her. We were laughing the whole time, and I was very thankful that I was able to have that affect on her, to be able to make her laugh regardless of how she felt. We stopped laughing after a moment, and I couldn't distract myself from her eyes. They were beautiful, but when I saw the pigment of her face deepen into a dark pink, I panicked and rolled off of her. I had to remind myself that she was in a relationship, and she was happy.

I laid beside her on my back, just staring up at the ceiling. She had these stars up there that glowed in the dark. Or they used to. I didn't really know anymore, considering that the last time we had a sleepover, I hadn't even entered middle school yet. Thinking about it, things had changed. But of course they would have, right? When you have a best friend of the opposite gender, things are bound to get a little weird at one point, and you're forced to behave differently around them.

I felt weight on my chest as Amy laid her head there, so I wrapped my arms around her waist. We stayed like that for a while, me staring up at the stars on her ceiling, and her resting her eyes. It felt great to have her like this. After a while of us just lying there, we heard her phone go off in her pocket. She decided to ignore it, but a few moments later it went off again.

Amy groaned in annoyance, and I laughed at her misfortune. She sat up pulled up her phone, replying to the text messages that she had received. I stayed where I was, minding her privacy, and just continued to stare up at the stars. I was really curious if they had still glowed in the dark.

"Who was it?" I asked as I sat back up and stretched my stiff joints. They were really starting to ache from the fight. Amy threw her phone back on the bed and pushed me off of the bed playfully. I landed with a thud and groaned, staying on the floor so she could explain.

"Well, Sonic texted me asking where I was at lunch, and Skye texted for us to go downstairs and watch a movie." Amy replied, helping me up. We walked out of her room and down the stairs to the living room, where Shadow and Skye were already starting up the movie. Amy and I sat down on the love seat while Skye and Shadow lounged around on her couch. The movie was pretty funny; it was some romantic comedy with Adam Sandler, so we had a few good laughs. When the movie was over, we looked over to Skye and Shadow, who were both sound asleep on the couch. I looked at Amy and laughed a bit, and she did the same. We looked into each other's eyes for a few moments, and she started inching closer and closer to my face.

Internally, I was having the biggest fight with myself. Most of my being was telling me to man up and kiss her, but there was a fragment, somewhere deep in my conscience, telling me to turn and look away. I did not want to listen to my conscience, because this could have very well been my only chance to kiss the girl I loved, and if I ignored her offer, I was afraid that I would never get another chance. So I pushed every thought about Sonic, and the problems with this, and _doing the right thing _out of my head and closed the distance between us. Her lips were soft, warm and inviting, and the kiss wasn't anything special, I presumed (keep in mind, it _was_ my first kiss,) but I went with it, and I didn't try and push for anything more. There weren't any fireworks going off behind my eyelids when I closed my eyes. I didn't feel anything more than her lips against mine, but I felt _secure._ I felt like I had finally won, after loving her for years and constantly fighting for her, I had won.

The kiss ended, and we were sitting there staring into each other's eyes for a while. I felt like I had done something wrong because Amy's face was still, there was no emotion shown through the features of her face. I was about to speak up and apologize when she let out the biggest, warmest, realest smile that I had ever seen her manage. I couldn't suppress my own smile when she reached out and held my hand.

"Dance with me tomorrow?" Amy asked, giving my hand a squeeze. I smiled and nodded vigorously, looking more like a bobble head than a living creature. She laughed and bestowed but a kiss on my cheek, and we stayed there for a while, enjoying the silence together and hearing the soft snores of our friends who were sleeping beside us on the couch.

After a while, Shadow and Skye woke up. It was around seven thirty when they did, and moments after they had awoken, Amy's mother walked into the house. She was genuinely happy to see me (as I hadn't seen her since the middle of the summer, when I joined Amy, her mother, and her mother's boyfriend on a camping trip,) and I greeted her equally. Shadow, Skye and I stayed over at Amy's house for dinner, but because it was a school night, we had to leave afterward. Shadow and Skye got into the car and waited for me, and Amy walked me to the door.

"So I'll see you at the dance tomorrow?" Amy asked, casually leaning against the door as I put my shoes on. I looked at her when I stood up and smiled, pulling her toward me for a hug.

"Yeah, I promise," I said, kissing the top of her head. She blushed and smiled up at me, even though I was younger than her, I was the taller one.

I turned and walked out the door, giving her a last wave goodbye. She smiled happily, waving good bye as well and with one last glance, she shut the door. I got into the car and threw my seatbelt on, and Shadow drove off to drop Skye off at her house. That gave me some time to think, I knew that Shadow and I would be talking once she was gone, so I took the time to think things over.

We entered a nice looking neighbourhood not too long after leaving Amy's house. Skye had lived in the neighbourhood with her parents, who were both lawyers. She lived in a hot shot family, but she wasn't like most people who resided in houses like hers. Skye was down to earth and believed that her family was so well off simply because they were lucky and blessed.

We stopped in front of Skye's house and she got into the car, Shadow following after her. I watched them as they spoke in front of her door. Shadow was talking and I saw Skye's face growing more red by the second, and then she hopped on Shadow and hugged him around the neck. He smiled and hugged her back and then let her go. Kissing her forehead, he bid her good night and walked back to the car. I got out of the car and hopped in the passenger seat.

"Got a date to the dance tomorrow," Shadow stated, putting his foot on the gas and speeding away from Skye's house. I smiled and congratulated my friend, and most of the car ride was spent in silence. When we were closer to my house, Shadow decided to speak up, "Sonic wouldn't be too pleased about your feelings for his girlfriend, Miles."

I looked over to shadow and sighed in defeat, "I know."

Shadow kept quiet and continued to focus on the road. It was apparent that he had been thinking about my situation as well, and even though I had never formally told him of my feelings for Amy, he had obviously picked up on my vibe. But I was cool with that, I trusted Shadow.

I trusted him more than I had trusted Sonic, sometimes.

"Regardless, if Sonic were to try anything, I'd have your back," Shadow declared. I felt at ease knowing this, because Shadow was a good fighter and loyal friend. He was almost my best friend already.

"I've got your back if anything were to ever happen too, Shadow." I smiled up at him. He looked over to me and smiled, ruffling up my hair and letting out a chuckle. We arrived at my house at a quarter to ten, and it was too late for Shadow to drive back home if he wanted any sleep, "Want to spend the night here so that you don't get home too late?"

"Sure," Shadow stated, turning off the car and getting out. He went to the trunk and opened it, pulling out a backpack, "I keep a spare toothbrush and a spare set of clothes in my car in case of an emergency. Can I use your shower in the morning?"

"Sure," I replied, getting out of the car as well. We walked into my house and I turned on the lights, and I proceeded to give Shadow a tour of the house, in case he needed anything during the night. When I was done, Shadow and I got some water from the sink, drank it down, and went up stairs for bed.

"Night, Tails," Shadow said, referring to me as my nickname for the first time since we had met. It felt comforting, "Think about what you're going to do next with Amy. Remember that I have your back no matter what."

"Thanks, Shadow," I said as he walked into the spare bedroom, "It means a lot."

I walked into my bedroom and locked the door. Letting my backpack fall to the ground with a thud, I took off my jeans and my (now broken) flannel shirt. I looked at myself in the mirror while I was standing in my boxers. I couldn't suppress a grin as I remembered that Amy had kissed me, that I had the guts to ask her to dance with me. I couldn't feel any happier as I went to bed that night, a smile plastered across my face.

**There, another update this week. Happy guys? **

**My hands are killing me, this is the longest chapter I have ever written, but I feel pretty pleased with it. Did you guys enjoy last chapter?**

**I want to thank you guys for all of the reviews! It keeps me inspired.**

**Anyways, there aren't going to be any questions this time around, I'm too tired to think up of any.**

**So, in your reviews this time, just review what you liked about the chapter! I know that this chapter was very different from how the original fourth chapter of the original Shame Game went, but whatever. I thought that it needed to evolve.**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Ciao.**


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